Something Gould
by theramblingfangirl
Summary: It's 3 years before Cliffjumper comes barrelling into an energon mine, the first round of conflict on Earth between Decpeticons and Autobots having just come to an impasse. But even then, they know it will only last for so long and advantages must be gained now. Which is why Sierra, a member of a particular mining family, is about to meet a pretender.
1. The Pretender

**The Pretender**

Humanity.

A primitive, odd and disgustingly carbon-based species living on an equally primitive, odd and disgustingly carbon-based planet.

A planet that members of a far more superior race was currently forced to reside in, their own, beautiful, corrupted world rendered uninhabitable long-ago by a millennia old war.

Decepticon and Autobot alike.

And with that race, came with them their war. The most recent open conflict had just come to a stalemate, but only after costing the Decepticons nearly all their tanks and helicopters.

It was inevitable that this so-called _peace_ would not last long, it never did, but for the time being there was simply silence, with both sides completely unable to pin down the location of the other.

So, for now, it was time to be proactive.

To gain advantages and put protective measures into place with place before things once again inevitably kicked off again.

Which is where this particular pretender comes in.

Because when it comes to fraternising and making alliances with creatures such as the organics, being able to look like one had its advantages.

Hence why they were looking for an appearance to wear to tomorrow's meeting.

They sighed as they scrolled through their data pad. They knew that they should have done this earlier, they had only a day before they were supposed to go strike a deal with the Gould's but nothing about this _wasn't_ degrading, and they'd kept putting it off.

At the least, they think they might have found a _possible_ alt-mode, meaning they wouldn't have to put up with having to look for one much longer.

An actual human was out of the question for now. In order to get close enough to scan one, they'd also consequentially be close enough for the human to see them and how they actually looked, never even mind the fact that the very act of scanning someone in and off itself was unlikely to go unnoticed by that someone, no matter how many shadows the pretender might manage to lurk in.

And if they were to be noticed like that then...well...that would certainly be _a nuisance_. Even an intended soon-to-be-ally may not take well to their natural appearance as a first impression.

So, for now, they were considering on settling on something called an _animatronic._

Specifically one termed "Alice in Wonderland".

Apparently based off of some "Tomoko" of a family of bankers, the thing was realistic enough...of course there were drawbacks. If they ran into someone familiar with either the animatronic or the Tomoko it resembled, that could cause problems...because while Cybertronians looking like each other wasn't _particularly_ odd, especially not in war time- the vehicons and, ugh, _autotroopers_ being examples of this- what they've seen on their internet so far seemed to indicate that this was not the case with humans.

The Pretender pondered this for a while, mulling over the possibility as well as potential viability of any alternative options, eventually settling on the conclusion that it _would do for now._

If it came to it, it wasn't like they weren't used to lying their way out of a situation.

They were, after all, a _spy_.

And a good one at that, if they do say so themself.

So with that decision, it was settled. Alice in Wonderland it would be.

Now just to scan it...

The Pretender dropped their holopad to their side with a careless clatter and prepared to comm in a request for a groundbridge.

Time to go to this _Disney land_.


	2. The Human

**The Human**

Sierra could barely believe what was going to be happening today.

An alien.

Of all things, she, Miss Sierra Gould, was going to get to meet an actual _alien_! A real one!

Well, technically her _moms_ were officially going to be the ones meeting it talking about _business_ and _mining_ and all that but they could just try stop her from getting a look!

...She wondered what it did look like. Her moms said that it was not only an alien, but an alien robot of sorts?!

Her first thought when they'd sat her down and told her that, was something like the Iron Giant, but if this...Decepticon was it?...was meeting them in their house then it surely couldn't be anywhere near that big?

Okay, so maybe it wouldn't be giant, but that didn't stop other questions running through her mind.

Her only real point of reference was movies and TV shows regarding aliens, so images of something sharp with lots of teeth and claw started running through her mind once the idea of it being a BFG was ruled out.

She didn't think she could be faulted for wondering though. Who wouldn't be curious, after all?

But eventually she pushed those thoughts from her mind. She still had to choose what to wear after all!

Rule number one of meeting an extra-terrestrial was that you _had_ to make a good impression.

And so she started raking through her clothes, picking up, considering and then ultimately discarding item after item as she tried to find an outfit that was just perfect.

But hampering this search was the fact that each time she came even close to choosing an outfit she was haunted by questions like: what if dressing up all nice was rude in this "Decepticon's" culture? Or certain colors were really offensive? She had no idea! She'd never been in a situation like this before!

As much as she hated to admit it, she'd have to ask.

"Mom! Mother! What should I wear?" She yelled up the stairs of the house, before pausing to wait for an answer.

She was just about to shout again when she got a response.

"Doesn't matter Strawberry. Wear whatever you like!"

Sierra harrumphed. That wasn't a very clear answer! And here she was trying to be mature and culturally sensitive!

"But-" She started again, only to be interrupted by both parents suddenly rushing down the stairs, mother intently typing something into her tablet and mom holding a see-through container holding an immensely familiar blue rock that had been prevalent throughout the young girl's entire life.

And yet they'd only just found out that it was apparently called _energon_.

"Hold onto this for me for a moment Berry!" Mom hummed, placing the container into Sierra's quickly outstretched hands before rushing off to seemingly grab something else.

She turned to face her mother to see would she had to say, but she appeared to already have anticipated her repeat if the question and had a pre-prepared, yet also hurried response."These people are refugees Berry, starving ones. While I'd advise you have yourself looking at least presentable, I very much doubt any of them will care."

"Or that you'll be seeing any of them yourself regardless." She continued. ever so briefly glanced up from her tablet to say this before resuming her even more hurried typing and stride.

Sierra herself made no head to follow or ask again this time after that statement, seemingly frozen for a while before slowly dipping her head down to look at the container she held.

Her expression could only be described as that of someone who looked like they'd been slapped.

Because something said there, whether her mother had realised it or not, was most certainly news to her.

Something which, even when they'd finally sat her down to tell her what was going on, her parents had neglected to mention to her...

 _...Refugees._

So that's what they were.

She'd...she'd had her suspicions regarding why _alien robots_ were on _Earth_ of all places, but to hear it put so blatantly...

...And to think she'd been so wrapped up about in...when...

...She wondered why they had to...

"Berry! Can you come over here for a second? We need your help with something!"

Sierra's head snapped up as she was abruptly jerked from that deteriorating train of thought.

She'd have more time to think about that later.

Right now, her parents needed her help in order for them to be able to help these refugees, and that help is exactly what she was going to do her very best to give!

That, or her name wasn't Sierra Gould!

"Coming!"


	3. The Twins

The Twins

The twin vehicons didn't seem to have noticed the Pretender yet, who was currently simply sitting at the entrance of a vent above, not making any effort at all to conceal their presence this time.

...Not that they were exactly making any effort to reveal their presence either. Instead, they were simply observing. Taking advantage of the opportunity presented before them.

Because getting leased these two had been a bother, to put it mildly. Even convincing their commander to lend them _any_ troops at all had been a battle, and then there had been the matter of proceeding to try find a way to convince them to give these _particular_ vehicons without being able to say exactly why they wanted them...No. Not an experience they cared to repeat.

So here they were, sitting down, making use of what would otherwise be wasted time, to have a go at trying to evaluate them. Trying to figure out both the twins and exactly how they were supposed to approach managing them before they _were_ forced to repeat the experience, because something had gone wrong enough to get that lease _revoked_.

So far, what they'd gathered, is that neither brother seemed to talk much.

 _Or be particularly observant_ , they noted dryly, before getting back on task.

Because no, not one conversation was exchanged between them. Not verbally at least, they had no way of telling if any other sort of messages might have been sent.

...Disappointing really. Even if it did somewhat lend weight to those rumours that had very much caught their attention.

Instead, one of them seemed just ever so slightly restless, wordlessly shuffling their pedes back and forwards, while the demeanour of the other seemed to be more along the lines of being outright agitated.

Pacing, tapping claws, shaking head...even their very EM field itself gave away their dissatisfaction. The Pretender was almost surprised that they could pick it up even from where they were, as most prefered to keep it as close to themselves as possible. As such they couldn't help but suspect that this was deliberate. That vehicon was dissatisfied and wanted to make sure that was _known_.

Either way, deliberate or not one fact remained certain: not only were they not particularly observant, but they also weren't particularly _patient_ either.

That sort of behaviour could very easily prove to be a problem, but given the situation they'd just have to make do...

...

...Hmm. They wondered which twin would notice them first.

...If any. In which case, they'd eventually have to give up and announce themself before they all wound up being late to their appointment.

* * *

This was stupid!

Frag it, they are Decepticons! Soldier caste! They are above this!

He would not have objected to even being assigned to guard a mine, if him being away from the front lines was a must. A role like that would probably have been better for his brother anyway, but...but _this_?!

Bodyguard duty for some Con they had first heard existed just yesterday, one with some sort of human... _thing?!_

Slag that, this was an insult _!_ He wondered what they could have possibly have done to have deserved getting themselves assigned to this, or if their commander had just decided to give the job to them on some sort of cruel whim!

The thing wasn't even on time! It had been kliks! _Several_ kliks since the designated meet up time had passed and still they were unsighted.

So here he was left, pacing back and forth, back and forth and-

And then he caught a glimpse of his brother cheerily waving at something above.

His optics followed along the direction to see what was being waved at.

He missed it at first, his gaze going right past it only to snap back when he realised there it was, the rude little thing sitting on a vent, giving a short wave back.

He would much later strongly deny that he had _started_ a littleupon noticing it. He was a soldier. He did not do such things.

"You're here? Took your time." He snapped, crossing his arms.

"My apologies soldier. I-" A smile accompanied that apology, but said soldier did not appreciate either in the slightest.

"Apologies?! Do you know how long we have been here, waiting for you?! You made us look like afts!" Their voice rose as they cut the other Con off, servos clenching. If any vehicon had turned up to any assignment anywhere near late as this as this little thing had, they would have been reprimanded! Especially if High Command was involved... _Primus help you_ if High Command was involved!

And this tiny disrespectful fragger thought it could just-what? Stroll in whenever they felt like it?!

"I would be careful with that tone, were I you. Considering none of us are officially supposed to be here, such a level of volume is not advisable." Came the level response, with that smile, that smile, that patronising smile that just...why he should just-

His thoughts were broken off before he could do or say anything by a sharp jab to his chassis.

He quickly turned to look at the cause of that, just in time to see his brother, helm rapidly shaking side to side, nudge him again.

"But they-!" He cut himself off at the last moment. It would do no good to be yelling at someone who hadn't even done anything wrong.

"They have-" He tried again, vocorder very carefully controlled.

But it seemed that he never was going to get that sentence finished, because at that moment another vehicon barged into the room.

"So there you are! What are you doing? What's the racket?" Her words came out as a hurried, strange cross between the whisper of someone trying to remain quiet and the demand of someone who wanted to be heard. "We could hear it from at the groundbridge!"

A statement which would hold much more gravitas if it weren't for the fact that everyone there was aware that the groundbridge station was _just across the hall_.

"Just a minor disagreement XS-02. It's been resolved." The cause of his yelling lied, seemingly at least slightly more familiar with this particular vehicon.

He, meanwhile, kept completely silent, helm ducked down as he refused to so much as look over in their direction, lest they look _smug_!

"Yeah, well...well good! XS-01's waiting for you all. So if I were you I'd be getting to the bridge a cycle ago! Come on!" And with that the groundbridge operator had rushed out of the room as quickly as she had arrived.

"Well then. IO-09..." the tiny vent-crawler turned to face him "...IO-10..." and then his brother who gave a nod, as if to confirm the obvious: that it was indeed his name.

"We should all get moving."

And with that, it's plates started to shift and...oh scrap.

He turned his sight away from the display as quickly as possible, and caught a glimpse of his brother more discreetly doing the same, as a feeling of unease gripped him.

He didn't want to watch this. He didn't feel comfortable watching this!

It wasn't right. It was one thing to be stuck on this backwards organic infested planet, or even...ugh...as much as it pained him to say it... _work with some of the squishies_...but for a cybertronian to actually... _emulate_ them? Pretend to _be one_?! No, that was...that was...it was just... _wrong!_

Frag it, they are Decepticons! They are above this! They-

They were back. The groundbridge operator was back.

"Hurry up!"

Ok, he knew he was pushing his luck now. And looking like a hypocrite with all his talk about being late. As awful as the assignment was, he was still obligated to perform to the best of his ability in completing it.

It seemed too, that, in his distraction, the tiny vent pest had slipped back into the vents to make their own way to the station.

And he was not going to let it get there first, not after it being the one late in the first place!

So with that resolution, he motioned his brother to follow as he himself followed XS-02 out of the room to where the bridge would be.

Time to go help make deals between _humans_ and _pretenders_.


	4. The Meeting

And so there it was.

The strange little homestead of Sandra-Gould and Sofia-Gould.

Humans who had managed to do what many had considered impossible for any organic to achieve: To gain the privilege of an audience with Decepticons.

Time to go meet them.

"Remember, I give the signal you fire immediately. I want the house gone in moments." The Pretender spoke as they exited IO-10's cockpit, him closing his door behind them.

Because while they were all here to make an alliance, they had to prepare for every possible scenario. Which was why they had two highly advanced warning systems parked outside on look out.

Should the humans make the very critical error of betraying them, they would be _ready._

And so, with that resolution, they made their way towards the house with a strange structure until they reached that strange door made out of...well, they couldn't identify the exact material. It wasn't anything like what they'd had at home and it looked... _odd?_ They _think_ it might have been made out of that...tall plant matter they'd also seen about, the ones that looked like organic spires with little offshoots.

Whatever it was, it looked awful. They almost hesitated in touching it, but they would have to be doing stuff like this a lot now if they were to be stationed here. Best get used to it now before it became a problem...

...But they never got the chance to, because something from above caught their optic.

Someone was watching them.

They looked up above just in time to see a flash of something red duck away out of sight.

And then the door flung open.

"Sorry, but if you're here to see Sierra, you'll have to come back another time. She's sick today and we can't risk bringing in any guests." Two humans were standing at the entrance, with tense expressions clearly indicating they wanted their apparent guest gone as soon as possible.

"To the contrary. Sandra-Gould, Sofia-Gould, I'm not here to see your daughter. I believe instead that we have some business to discuss." The Pretender smoothly spoke, taking in the sight of the humans before them. The first they'd ever actually met, and as the images online suggested about humans, both did indeed look very different.

A trait about them that was intriguing, both contrasting the cybertronian potential for uniformity, as well as reminding the pretender of the variation that at the same time cybertronians possessed...Either way, it still remained ultimately inconvenient for a spy looking to pass themselves off as one. That didn't change, intriguing or not.

As for these particular humans, they seemed to finally notice the purple cars parked close by.

"Oh...so you're the..." One of the two made a sound, before looking imploringly to the other half of the couple for support.

"Forgive the offence but you are not exactly what we were expecting." Was provided after a brief moment of hesitation. "And, if you are who you say you are, we would like a bit more evidence before we are to discuss business."

An understandable request, and one they complied with: allowing their lenses to flick up, revealing the circuitry of the optics underneath.

The reactions were immediate.

* * *

Sierra watched from her window as what seemed to be a yellow haired girl headed inside with her parents.

Was _that_ the alien?

Okay, umm, well...did not look how she expected. She had to admit, she was kinda semi a bit disappointed over here, but still, Sierra very quickly conceded she should really not be judging a _robot alien refugee_ for not looking sufficiently like a _robot alien refugee_. She knew looks could be deceiving and you can't exactly help your own appearance...mostly. There _was_ always make-up and pretty clothes and...

...Okay. Way off track there, woah. She'd already been down this rabbit hole that lead to nothing but contemplating alien clothing culture already today and she'd promised herself to try exercise some restraint on that for a while. It was _wrong_ and it was _inconsiderate_ considering the situation. Time to push that from her mind again.

So, anways she wouldn't judge but it was still a bit...confusing she supposed that of all things this being from a different planet looked exactly like a human...unless, that is, she was looking at a hologram?! Or they were some sort of robot shapeshifter terminator style?! Ooh! Or a life-model decoy sent to interact with humans without raising alarm that would be caused by their true appearance?! Yes! Those could make a lot more sense!

Ideally Sierra would like to be able to actually go up and ask them to solve the mystery once and for all, confident that question should be culturally okay to ask them at least, but...there was one problem which made doing that much more difficult: her moms locking her in her room.

This was _completely_ unfair!

She probably should have kept her mouth shut about insisting on meeting them, _that_ was a lesson learned, but she didn't even think she was asking much! Just to meet the alien so she could _help them!_

 _"_ _Sorry Berry but you have to stay in your room today."_ They said.

 _"You're not old enough to help mija."_ They said.

How was _thirteen_ not old enough to help?!

Well, she wasn't going to let _this_ stop her!

She might not be able to get in the meeting, or even through the door, but the alien would be leaving the house eventually. And when they did, there was always the window! She'd seen this done in movies before, she could totally do it. She had sheets! This was a great plan.

And so she got to work stripping them, flinging stripped pillows and comforter alike across the room as she did. She suspected she had hours to do this, but she did not want to risk missing this chance!

...Except she quickly realised that she had _no idea_ how to properly do those super strong knots that wouldn't immediately come undone and cause her to just fall out her window.

Falling out the window, was _not_ a super good first impression.

Sierra decidedly let off a groan with this realisation, before heading off to her computer, determined to not be thwarted at literal step one.

Time to Google and hope that the art of skilfully tying sheets together did not take _too_ long too master.

* * *

"Are we at an agreement then?" The pretender spoke, surveying the two organics in front of them, the discussion finally seeming to be nearing it's end.

"I would say that we are."

All in all, the arrangement had gone down... _almost_ exactly as planned.

Sofia-Gould would be managing the business side and buy up the land which the vehicons were to mine on. Claim it as that of the Gould Mining Corporation, which according to human law would make the land their private property and trespassing past it's borders illegal. Keep the gaze of organics far, far off the sites. Any more troublesome figures who objected to this would be bribed.

Which was convenient. Because while lone humans wondering in could easily be dealt with, were too many to go missing in the same areas that could attract some undesired attention. From human government and Autobot alike.

As for Sandra-Gould, she would continue doing the same thing that the family were before they even knew exactly what it was. Scouting for and digging up energon along with fellow humans deemed sufficiently loyal. Particularly around areas far too close to human settlements to have any vehicon go near.

With most humans the pretender would be concerned with allowing them to seek, let alone excavate energon. Even they, an actual _cybertronian_ , were admittedly not at all skilled or even knowledgeable in those areas...but the demonstrated ability of the Gould family to do both was what had caught their optic to them in the very first place.

However, even with all that had been entrusted upon them and said...skilled and useful humans the Goulds may be but they were still _humans_. And only a fool would trust the organics _completely_. Blindly. No matter what was said in this room.

Especially as there were still some important matters that required _immediate_ _clarification_.

"Then the deal is set. But there are still some other matters that need to be discussed."

"Oh?" The humans exchanged glances with each other. "Is there an issue?"

"The answer to that question depends entirely on your own responses to mine." The pretender narrowed their optics ever so slightly even as their tone remained neutral. "Why?"

"Why are we helping?"

"That is the question. Where I come from, nobody in the higher castes would ever help anyone but themselves if there wasn't something in it for them. So, what do you see as in this for you? " A pause as the question was allowed to sink in. "It's certainly not profit. At least...not from helping _us_." This time, within that mostly measured and neutral tone, there was a slight but undeniable bite to it that broke through.

"If you're concerned about us selling you out, I can assure you that will not happen. Profit is not an issue-"

"Indeed? Records exist that seem to suggest otherwise-"

"This is about Sumdac, no?" This time it was the pretender who was sharply interrupted by Sofia-Gould.

Not a word was said by the pretender and their expression remained unreadable, but that in itself seemed to be enough of an answer for the human who quickly continued on.

"When we first discovered this _energon_ , we did not even know what it was truly called, nevermind it's level of importance to any aliens. All we did know was how as geologists with the resources to do so, it was our duty to study this mineral and try find use for it. So when another scientist showed interest and started requesting to purchase samples, of course we accepted! As would have any respectable figure in our field." She assured.

"If that's true, then how come you did not mention this earlier?" The pretender queried.

Their failure to do so is why this meeting had only gone _almost_ exactlyto plan before.

"Because it didn't seem important." Sandra-Gould interjected next, a mild look of exhasperation on her face as she did that did not escape the questioner's notice. "It was no secret."

Several kliks of a terse silence passed by, everyone in the room doing nothing but watching each other and thinking.

"Next time leave it to _me_ to decide whether a matter holds importance or not. For now you are to stop selling to this _roboticist_ unless I _directly_ say otherwise after investigating the matter further. Understood?" The warning carried in those words was very clear in the decepticon's tone.

"Completely."

"It had better be, if this alliance is to last. Which brings us back to my original question: why do _you_ , higher caste humans, want to help _us_?"

* * *

The moment Sierra saw the alien leaving, the meeting with her parents apparently having _finally_ finished, she put the next phase of her plan into action and went right out her window, makeshift rope in hand.

And in the very next moment after she let out a wheeze and a groan, as she tried to focus past the fuzziness in her vision that the resulting fall had brought on.

Everything seemed to have been going great! No- it _was_ going great! She'd got all the sheets tied and that had held! Like she knew they would!

But it was the table they were tied too which had betrayed her, unable to support her weight.

And in just one moment she'd went from climbing to being on the ground.

A fact that was _humiliating_!

This was humiliating! Humiliating! How could this happen to her?! Falling out of a window was not a good first impression! She needed to get up now. She had to try salvage this immediately!

It was just a little teeny tiny mini fall from window to ground anyway. Shouldn't be _that_ hard, she wasn't... _that_ hurt.

 _Think of it like a cheerleading routine, mid-competition and everyone watching you, got to do this perfectly and in one go,_ she told herself. If it took any more tries than that it would make this situation even worse!

So here it went! Left leg tuck in, right leg tuck in, lean forwards and then... _bounce up_.

Now actually on her feet once more, she turned to try spot where the alien was, crossed between a mix of hoping that they hadn't seen this failure of a display and also hoping that they hadn't left yet. If everything were to be perfect, they would still be here but, uh, well, facing the opposite direction.

Luckily, vision now cleared enough to see all this again too, Sierra found that at least the alien was still here. But it wasn't facing the opposite direction.

They were staring right at her.

"Hi!" Sierra called, cheeks burning as she both realised that this was in fact her first impression and absolutely did not _stumble_ towards them.

"You're alive." They responded.

Pfft. "Of course! That little fall?" Sierra let out what she hoped sounded like a smooth laugh as she gestured to herself. "Would take much more than that to get me!"

No response to that, the alien simply kept silently watching her.

"The name's Sierra! Sierra Gould!" She reached out for a handshake.

"I'd surmised that." The alien simply said, all the while not making any movement or indication that they'd seen the hand. Just…staring her dead on…

…

…The silence lengthened, as did the level of discomfort that Sierra was feeling about how this was going.

She wondered and hoped that this was not visible on her face.

"I'm sorry." The alien finally spoke up, demeanour immediately shifting to being much friendlier. "I'm being rude." They reached out their own hand and shook Sierra's, proving that they _were_ in fact tangible. "You were saying?"

A sigh of relief as the tension lifted.

"So, I take it you're the… _decepticon_?" Sierra started up again, remembering the name she'd heard for the species.

A mildly amused look. " _A_ decepticon."

Were anyone in school to dare try being that pedantic like with _her_ , she would have had something big to say about that and do about their reputation, but as it she was a bit distracted by how here came her chance to solve a mystery at last in as polite and indirect way as she thought was possible!

She was quite proud of herself for being able to grab it in such a way.

"And are they all like you? All-" A general gesture at the blonde in front of her " -human looking."

Disney human looking even. In Sierra's opinion the alien was dressed very…Disney like. A cultural thing?

"I'm _not_ human looking _._ This is just as much _my_ alt-mode as a car is _theirs_." The alien did not even turn to look at them as they said that, instead choosing to keep facing her, but it was clear exactly which ones they were talking about.

Sierra had obviously seen them earlier and obviously noticed that they had a nice aesthetic to them, good choice of model _and_ colour- Some sort of custom Cadillac Ciels maybe?- _but…_

"Them?!" She hadn't thought that they might be alien robots in disguise! Oh, this was so cool! She was getting to meet three aliens today! Three!

"H!" She waved over.

A greeting that was followed by one of the cars flashing its headlights at her, side mirrors moving up and down.

A response which caused Sierra to clasp her hands in delight.

"That'll be IO-10 saying hello." The human-alt-mode-alien translated.

"Hi IO-10!" Strange name, the actual human thought.

IIII OOOOOO Tennnnn.

More like a impersonal code or some sort of a registration than a real name…well weird to call someone…. she ought to ask about that some point and... _wait_ …

"Wait." She realised, harkening back to a revelation she'd unwittingly breezed past earlier. "If these are your _alternative_ -modes and not your usual ones, that means you _must_ be shapeshifters." Sierra started, gaze flicking between the car-alt-mode-aliens and the human-alt-mode alien, as she put together the pieces about which of her original theories might have actually been right.

"To an extent."

"An extent?"

"As much as someone with two fixed modes could be called a shapeshifter."

"You guys can only be two things?"

"Mostly."

" _Mostly?_ "

"There are rare exceptions. We're not one of them."

Sierra took barely a moment to let that sink in and imaging all the possibilities of just what those _exceptions_ might be like, before shifting onto her more immediate next question of whether or not she could meet the other two up any closer, gesturing generally at them both.

This time the alien did turn towards the cars, folding arms and head tilting as they did so, as if surveying over some potentially unstable quarry.

"Not both." Came the conclusion. "If you want to meet one of the twins, you meet IO-10 only. Stay clear of IO-09. IO-10's the one on the-"

"I know him! He's the one that flashed." She waved again at him and he flashed again at her.

"-Alright then." This time the alien caught that part of the exchange, an eyebrow raising at it. "No toughing though."

The thirteen-year-old meanwhile rushed over, making the journey in only several very bouncy skip-like strides, beaming.

"You're so cool!" She clasped her hands together, giggling. "I like your alt! Muscle cars are nice. Fast-ish but you don't have to worry about a breeze denting it. I'm not sure if I want one yet or a _sports_ car when I'm older. Do you race?"

Side mirrors moved up and down.

"Nope? Is that a nope? You should! I've seen it, it's _awesome!_ And you're already a car so it's like-"

"Are you done?" The other suddenly snapped, startling the red-headed girl. "We didn't come here to be harassed by organic _sparklings_."

"Excuse _you!_ " This time, Sierra snapped back automatically.

"Nine, do try refrain from being rude to the natives. We are _co-operating_ here with the Goulds." And the demeanour of the human looking alien shifted once more at that, to something that was much more aggressive.

"Can it Pretender! We didn't agree to let them get their greasy paws on us!"

"I didn't touch! And I'm not greasy, I showered this morning!" Sierra objected.

The pretender didn't berate IO-09 again this time.

Instead, once again their mannerisms once again abruptly flipped.

"I must apologise. Being here and not home…it isn't easy. Not all of us are handling it so well." They said sadly to Sierra.

Who then in turn rubbed her hands together awkwardly, head down.

"Right. No, yeah I get that." She mumbled, before looking back up again.  
"It must suck. Earth isn't that great or anything and…" She'd love to get off it some day. See what sort of things space had to offer. Even just one other planet.

But this wasn't the time to be saying something like that, she supposed.

"I hope you come to like it here. Just ask and I'll help how I can, and I can help _a lot_!" She pressed a hand to her chest for emphasis.

"Getting you, all used to this rock, or more blue rocks." The rocks _did_ seem to mostly be what they were after.

Highly toxic, beautifully glow-y ones.

"Much obliged. However, I'd like to ask a question about that?"

"Sure!"

"Why?"

"…Why _sure?_ "

"No." Was corrected. "Why do you want to help?"

"Because it's the right thing to do!" Came an honest answer without a moment's hesitation.

Sure, getting to meet aliens was a bonus, a _big_ bonus.

But like, the Goulds were hardly using the rocks so if they could help a whole bunch of people by giving them to them instead…well, why _wouldn't_ they? As her parents had said, these were refugees here and they certainly had the resources to help.

Couldn't exactly say _no._

Queen Bee of the school Sierra was hardly the pinnacle of morality even just in Jasper, it was no secret she was often a bully. Had to be to be to keep her reputation up. But she wasn't _that bad_.

Not by a long way.

"Well then, that trait. must run in the family." The response seemed to have pleased them. "Your parents said the same thing."

Their gaze went back to turning towards the car guys then, before speaking up once more.

"We should be going."

"Okaaaayyy…. well it was nice meeting you guys!" She almost added in an except _you_ to the rude IO-09 but thought against it at the last moment.

He was new to the planet. It couldn't be easy.

Just like you don't pick on the new kid in school. You give them a grace period before you see whether or not they're fair game.

"We'll be back. Our business here isn't done and we'd like to keep an eye on things. I'm sure you understand."

Sierra agreed that she totally did.

A nod and then they began to head off, the door of IO-10 opening to allow- _their name! What was their-_

"Name!" She called out, in disbelief that such a such a simple thing had never been asked. "I never got your name. That's IO-10" - a hand was gestured at 10- "and that's IO-09" -the hand moved to gesture at him- "And you're IO…?"

"Call me Alice." And like that the name was finally given.

But…

"Alice?"

Kind of more human than expected. Even if they did look like…

Oh. _Oh_ , she saw what had been done here with Disney human looking alien.

" _Wonderland_ Alice?" Not subtle now at all now that she thought about it.

"Is it obvious?"

"Not a bad name. _My_ parents named _me_ after the Sierra Bermeja back home, because it's every girl's _dream_ to be named after a mountain."

Even if that mountain had also turned out to be the first ever site in which a _human_ would discover energon. The Goulds having less named their daughter as a tribute to the site itself than as a tribute to what they'd found buried in it.

"But-" Sierra then stifled a giggle with her hand. It wasn't mean-spirited- what sort of friends didn't criticise each other's outfits after all? Had to make sure they all maintained a standard! - it's just the sheer absurdity in this case to her of how she'd never thought she'd see an alien…what was it called...? _Cosplay?_

Some geeks at school had talked about it.

"-you might want to change the get-up. Wear something that's _in_. Like me!"

"Including the paint?" Alice queried, apparently genuinely interested in hearing this feedback.

"The what?" That didn't change the confusion about what they'd said though.

"Is that not what this is called?" Alice gestured at their own face.

"No, it's called a good use of the blood of my enemies." Sierra said sarcastically, getting now what was the topic. _Make-up._

What she was not expecting however, was for Alice to appear to take that sarcasm as…well, not sarcasm! They instead nodded along without seeming the least bit of perturbed.

"I would have thought you were young for something like that. Do you have many enemies that I might need to be aware about?"

"What?! What- no! No, it was a joke! I was joking! This isn't people!" Her tone hiked.

It hiked even higher when she realised just why Alice might have been so willing to accept

"Do your people _do_ that?!"

Attempts not to judge the extra-terrestrials had by now gone just as much of the window as she had to even meet them.

"I was only trying to be polite in asking about yours." Alice got in and sat down on one of IO-10s seats then, although they kept an arm on the door, presumably to indicate to Ten not to close it.

"But we all still have to leave, so I don't have time to answer any more questions for now. Perhaps later."

"Later!" No perhaps about it.

She wasn't being cut out of helping these guys and she wasn't being cut out of finding out the truth behind their stance on the use of the blood of their enemies either.

Nobody cut _her_ out of anything!

"Goodbye, Sierra-Gould."

Although perhaps…perhaps if she'd been a bit older, a bit wiser and a bit more aware of the fact that she'd just gotten herself involved in not only treason with this alliance, but also an intergalactic war, that _wouldn't_ have been her top concern as she waved goodbye to the departing Decepticons.

But she would learn all that eventually.

Just not today.

Today, this thirteen-year-old would just have to puzzle out the few things she did know and plan what sort of questions she wanted to try asking next…along with also try to find a way to sneak back in her room, before her moms saw that she'd left it.

Those would be her concerns for this day.

The rest would have to come on another.


End file.
